You said yes to the man of your dreams, and you cannot wait to start planning for your wedding day. There are lots of logistical decisions that must be made when thinking through your event. Most brides feel nervous when it comes to making the decision of who to choose for their bridal party. Don’t worry, Gruene Estate has you covered on how to navigate the difficult task of choosing your bridesmaids!
Family First
If you feel overwhelmed and can’t decide which one of your besties you should choose for your bridal party, then family is a great place to start. From there, you can calculate the total number of bridesmaids and groomsman that you will need to have. There is no hard or fast rule here, but the average size of wedding parties is generally five on each side. If you find yourself stressed about who’s going to play what role, don’t worry there are plenty of ways to incorporate left over attendees into your wedding event.
Honored Guests
The reality is this: not everybody can be a bridesmaid in your wedding party. Not to worry! Ask friends to be an “honored guest” or part of the “house party”. Give them a front row seat at the wedding ceremony and special seating at the reception. Although they are not standing with the wedding party during the ceremony, they are still honored. It is an opportunity for them to a play role in your wedding in a more relaxed fashion.
This Is What I Am Asking
Set pre wedding expectations in a clear and up front way. How involved do you want your wedding party to be? Do you want them to help you shop for wedding your wedding dress? What is the time commitment going to be? Should they be prepared to stuff wedding invitations? Outside of the wedding weekend, it is reasonable to expect your bridesmaid’s to participate in a bridal shower and bachelorette party. If you want them to be really involved, then it is a good idea to choose bridesmaids that live nearby. If they are unable to attend prewedding events, ensure that you communicate which pre-wedding events are most important to you and adjust your expectations.
Mix and Match Dresses
Mix and match bridesmaid dresses are a huge trend in the wedding fashion scene. This is one area of the wedding planning process where brides can be totally flexible. Traditionally, the bride picks her dress and then chooses the bridesmaid’s dresses as well. This can often to conflict because lets face it, not everybody has the same body type. Create some mood boards and Pinterest boards to communicate to your ladies what your wedding day vision will be. Mix and match dresses do take more effort and planning to ensure a cohesive look when walking down the aisle. Make sure that they understand that while they get to choose their dress, you have the final say. Ultimately, this is a win win for everybody because your bridesmaids will be comfortable and confident and you get to avoid any wedding day drama.
Have Fun
Your wedding is a celebration of love and friendship. Navigating wedding party dynamics can be stressful. Gruene Estate’s guide to choosing your bridesmaids will help you make the best wedding party decisions. Have fun, be flexible and enjoy this special time with your besties!
Photos By Sycamore Tree Photography
This article was provided by Gruene Estate.
